India Settles Old Score against Junior Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's week-long India trip last month could be summarized as clash of two varying political dichotomy. One leader, PM Trudeau, seen globally as an embodiment of inclusiveness, respect for gender equality and protector of minority rights. On the other hand, India's PM, Mr. Narendra Modi's politics posits on exact opposite values, thriving on divisive politics, by trampling minority rights.

However, there is much more at play here, which the mainstream media is keeping it out of public's mind. The humiliation and ill-treatment of PM Trudeau, has very little to do with his association with a sizable Canadian Sikh vote bank and it has more to do with India trying to settle and old score against Junior Trudeau for the sanctions and embargo put in place by then, Senior Trudeau, PM Pierre Elliot Trudeau against India in 1970's for embarking on a secret mission to develop a nuclear weapon from the uranium falsefully obtained from Canada under the pretense of addressing its energy crises.

Both leaders are in their last round of their government, heading to the polls next year. Both leaders need to demonstrate to their electorates, that their policies, directions of their government, and their "vision" is paying its dividends. However, never in past have we seen any such example where country's leader has humiliated, another visiting world class leader, at his own turf, in hopes of scoring points with its vote bank, as Mr. Modi has done so. Mr. Modi may have won accolades from its right-wing fanatic vote bank, mostly uneducated, whom have truly subscribed to Mr. Modi's vision of Hindutva, that is converting India – Hindustan – Land of the Hindus, is achievable by trampling minority rights collectively, and on whole sale basis. What Mr. Modi is not telling them, and his supporters are too narrow-minded to even realize it, is that, in the long run future Indian governments will end up paying the ultimate price for this outrageous humiliation levelled against one of the most liked world class leader.

By humiliating PM Trudeau at his own turf, Mr. Modi has shown his true colours, and demonstrated to the world how petty and narrow-minded individual he really is. Unfortunately, all Indians will pay the price for his childish and irreprehensible behavior in welcoming Mr. Trudeau and his entourage.

PM Trudeau's India trip, and Mr. Modi's conduct, are text book examples what happens when political leaders are more focused on getting re-elected, placing their own personal interests above national interests.

Undoubtedly, PM Trudeau is very much aware of the importance of its Indian diaspora vote bank, especially, the Sikh Canadian vote bank. After all, PM Trudeau after the swearing in ceremony boasted, "I have more Sikhs in my cabinet than PM Modi."

However, this has changed dramatically. Federal NDP having Mr. Jagmeet Singh, the first Indian origin Sikh, as its leader, is not making his re-election chances of forming a majority government next year any easier. Nearly two dozen seats, especially within the 905/416, and several others in BC, and Alberta are up for grabs, and could very well end up as NDP if the Sikh Canadian votes sways in favour of Mr. Jagmeet Singh over Mr. Justin Singh. This is very likely.

However, there is much deeper history, behind this humiliation which India has levelled against PM Trudeau. A history which all media outlets have selectively ignored to mention – India settling old scores with Junior Trudeau, for the embargo and sanctions that were put in place by his father, then PM Pierre Elliott Trudeau, against India in 1970's, having a ripple effect among western nations, followed by Washington, and 48 other nations. Sanctions, and embargo which lasted more than forty years. It took India four decades to restore trust among the western nations in lifting the embargo.

In 1956, Canada had agreed to build India's first CANDU nuclear reactor, supplying India CANDU reactors, and much needed uranium. However, with a condition that it will be used for "peaceful purposes." this followed by another order in 1960.

Previous Canadian governments were too naïve, not realizing that India had already double-crossed Canada on an agreement and have unilaterally embarked on a secret mission, using the spent fuel from Canadian reactors to develop nuclear weapons.

On May 18, 1974, India exploded an atom bomb, surprising Ottawa and Washington. On May 18, 1976, the Canadian government, under then, PM Pierre Trudeau, formally terminated its nuclear-cooperation with India.

Nonetheless, PM Trudeau must also shoulder lion share of the blame for the humiliation he had to face at the hands of Mr. Modi and his government while visiting India. Anything that could go wrong, had gone wrong during this trip for PM Trudeau, and he has no one to blame but himself.

It was evident, PM Trudeau, while in India, was desperately trying to appeal to his Indian diaspora vote bank back home by making himself look more Indian than Bollywood's mega star, Shah Rukh Khan. Living up to his alias as Justin Singh. It certainly backfired.

Then there was the greatest debacle of all time – Surrey MP, Mr. RandeepSarai inviting an attempted murderer, Jaspal Atwal, whom, in past had been convicted by a Canadian court on assassination charges, when he and several other individuals had tried to kill a visiting Indian cabinet minister in 1980's on Vancouver Island. This is beyond faux-pas.

Adding insult to injury, the PM entourage tried to deflect blame Indian government for planting Mr. Atwal to attend key events to embarrass the PM.

In summary, PM Trudeau's trip to India was an abysmal failure because as the events unfolded it started to become evident to everyone, local and international media that the PM was there to impress his Indian vote bank back in Canada. Mr. Modi as an opportunistic individual he seems to be, galvanized on this opportunity to impress his own vote bank in India that India, finally, under his leadership is coming of age – restoring its past glory. Mr. Modi, at the expense of Mr. Trudeau left a lasting mark on his supporter that India can now afford to ignore and sideline western leaders and nations, who are supportive of its minorities abroad. Mr. Modi's lasting message to his supporters is that his divisive vision is working and under his leadership India has finally unshackled itself from the white dominated slavery era.